Game



Feb. 25, 1964 FIG. 2

C. L. ROY

GAME

Filed Nov. 25, 1960 Inventor CARLOT TA L. R0 Y byzg7w Attorney UnitedStates Patent Ofi ice 3,1223% Patented Feb. 25, 1964 3,122,358 GAME(Iarlotta Leath Roy, 4&4 dpadiua Road, Apt. 408, Toronto, Ontario,Canada, assignor of fifty percent to Norman J. Herman Filed i luv. 25,19-50, Ser. No. 71,638 It filaims. ((31. 273-121) This invention relatesto a game for the amusement and satisfaction of old and young alike, thegame requiring a measure of skillful manipulation and judgment, which isappealing to ones competitive nature.

One important object of this invention is to provide a game which isdevoid of any mechanical contrivance but nevertheless can ready itselffor the next player or for another turn after one turn has been taken atthe game.

Another very important object is to provide a game of relatively simpleconstruction which can be manufactured at relatively low cost.

The principal feature of this invention resides in providing a gamestructure in the form of a receptacle open at the top to view, thereceptacle having a main panel inclined to the horizontal whose uppersurface is the playing surface and upon which a suitable ball is adaptedto be impelled or rolled, from the lower end to the upper end, theplaying surface panel terminating at the upper end in a target for theselected ball in the form of an upstanding transversely-extending wallhaving a plurality of spaced openings therethrough of a size andconfiguration to register with the ball when properly directed, theapertures defining openings into an inclined ramp formation arranged tofollow the periphery of the main playing surface panel aforementionedand terminating near the lowermost end of the latter panel with the lowemost end in co-planar relation therewith, whereby a ball travelling downthe ramp is returned to the playing surface.

Another feature resides in providing an upstanding V-shaped Wallformation at the lower end of the ramp formation and playing surfacepanel, the arms of the V-shaped wall formation having a somewhatdiagonal direction in relation to the direction and extent of theplaying surface and ramp formation and being adapted to guide and directa ball either from the ramp to a central position at the lower end ofthe playing surface, or to guide a ball which has been played but hasnot registered with one of the apertures, to the lower end of theplaying surface and in position to be played again.

Still another feature resides in forming an aperture through the apex ofthe V-shaped upstanding wall formation where the ball is centered, andemploying a blowpipe mounted behind the aperture to be used to impel theball up the playing surface on imparting to the blowpipe a sharp breathof air, the blowpipe being swivelly mounted to direct the ball into anyone of the apertures in the upstanding wall at the end of the mainbottom panel.

These and other objects and features are described in detail in thefollowing specification which is to be read in conjunction with thesheet of drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a game structure embodying theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the game structure of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical mid-sectional view taken along the line 33 ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical mid-sectional view taken along the line 44 ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the blowpipe attachment for the gameof FIGURE 1; and,

FIGURE 6 is a further embodhnent of a blowpipe attachment for the gameof FIGURE 1.

In the drawings, the game structure ill in FIGURES 1 and 2 includes asupport structure in the form of a recep- 2 tacle consisting of arectangular surface-engaging plate 11, having an upstanding surroundingwall 12 made up of longitudinally-extending side Walls 13 and 14 andtransversely-extending from end wall 15 and rear end wall 16.

Mounted within the surrounding wall 12 and below the upper edges thereofis a first planar panel 17, the upper surface constituting the playingsurface, and extending longitudinally and above the surface-engagingplate 11. The playing surface panel 17 is supported on a downturnedflange 18 located next adjacent the side wall 13 and on an upstandinglongitudinally-extending intermediate wall portion 19. The playingsurface panel 17 is mounted to slope substantially uniformly from apoint in front of the rear end wall 16, downwardly and forwardly to thefront end wall 15.

A generally planar panel 2%, which constitutes a section of a rampformation, is mounted in side-by-side relation to the first playingsurface panel 17 to extend longitudinally of the receptacle. Ramp panel20 is supported upon a downturned flange 21 located next adjacent to theside Wall 14 and on intermediate wall 19 at the other edge. Ramp panel20 is mounted to slope substantially uniformly from the rear end Wall 16downwardly and forwardly to the front end wall 15, the angle ofinclination being less than that of the playing surface panel 17. Itwill also be observed that the rearward end 22 of the ramp panel 2i) islower than the rearward end 23 of the playing surface panel 17. Also,the forward ends 24 and 25 of ramp panel 20 and playing surface panel17, respectively, are arranged in substantially co-planar relation,which is indicated at 26.

A generally planar panel 27 constituting the second section of the rampformation is mounted within the receptacle to extend transverselythereof and immediately in front of the rear end wall 15 and slopes fromthe side wall 13, at the intersection indicated at 28 of the rearwardend 23 of playing surface panel 17, transversely downwardly to meet andjoin with the rearward end 22 of the ramp panel 29. The juncture of ramppanels 27 and 2% is indicated at 2e.

It will thus be seen that the second ramp panel 27 and first ramp panel20 define an inclined ramp formation 42 leading from the rear end wallto to the lower end of the playing surface panel 17.

Upstanding at the juncture of the playing surface panel 17 and ramppanel 27 is a transversely-extending wall 3% which supports a top wall31 at one edge, top wall 31 being supported at the opposite edge by rearend wall 16 and closing over the ramp panel 27.

The wall St? is provided with spaced apertures 32 therethrough ofgenerally circular configuration, the upper surface of the playingsurface panel 17 being arranged in tangential relation with thelowermost edge portions of the apertures 32 as indicated at 33.

This latter structure constitutes the target for the game.

The intermediate longitudinally-extending wall 19 is upstanding at thejuncture of playing surface panel 17 and ramp panel 2% and extendslongitudinally from the wall 36 to the co lanar juncture of panels 17and 26 as indicated at 34. The upper edge 35 slopes uniformly downwardlyto avoid any sharp corners.

Disposed within the receptacle at the forward end is an upstandingV-shaped wall formation 36, the apex of the V, 37, being arrangedpreferably on the longitudinal center line of the playing surface panel17 and spaced from the front end wall 15.

Arm portion 38 of wall formation 36 extends somewhat diagonally of thereceptacle and over the co-planar juncture of the panels 17 and 24 tointersect the side wall 14.

Arm portion 39 extends generally diagonally of the receptacle tointersect side wall 15. s

It is to be observed that both arm portions 38, 39 are slightly curvateforwardly, which enhances the guiding action of a ball which is to becentered at the apex 37.

The apex 37 of the V-shaped wall formation 36 is provided with anopening 4% therethrough, whose side edges 443a and 4512 are angledupwardly and toward one another to define a generally inverted V-shape.

The structure It? is adapted to be used with a ball 41 whose size andconfiguration is determined in relation to the apertures 32, in a mannerthat the ball 41 will readily pass through the apertures 32 upon adirect approach being made but will be a little more difiicult toregister upon an approach being made angularly or by deflection or, forexample, if the ball should have a spin.

It will be appreciated that the ball 41, when it registers with one ofthe openings 32, will be impelled under gravity to travel down the rampformation 42 defined by the ramp panels 27 and 2t}, and then be guidedby the arm portion 38 of the V-shaped wall formation 36 and ultimatelythe ball 41 will be centered at the apex 37 of the V.

Should the ball 4 not register with one of the apertures 32, it will beimpelled under gravity to travel down the playing surface and becentered by either arm portion 33 or 39 at the apex 37.

A blowpipe attachment 43 is mounted at the front end of the receptacle,the lower end 44 of the blowpipe extending through an aperture 45 infront end wall 15.

The blowpipe 43 has a generally J-shaped configuration with an orifice46 at the lower forward end and a mouthpiece 47 at the upper end.

The horizontal extension 44 of blowpipe 43 is such to place the orifice45 immediately behind the apex 37 of the V-shaped Wall formation 36 todeliver a sharp breath directly onto the ball 41.

A universal joint connection can be provided to connect the J-shapedblowpipe attachment 43 in the opening 45 of the front end wall 15, whileit may be desirable, on the other hand, to give an individual blowpipeto each player, to be inserted through opening 45.

Alternatively, a blowpipe attachment 48 can be provided having anextension 49 at its lower end, which extension may serve the purpose ofcollecting saliva which is incident with the use of the pipe 48.

It has been found that the type of ball which can be most satisfactorilyused with a blowpipe is a hollow celluloid ball well known in the gameof pingpong. It has been found that such ball is readily impelled underthe application of a sharp breath to the blowpipe up the playing surfaceof panel 17 It is to be noted also that the edges dtla and 49b of theaperture at the apex 37 of the V-shaped wall formation 36, because oftheir inclination, provide spaced stop surfaces to be contacted by thesurface of the ball 41. Moreover, with the V-shape, a greater area ofthe ball 41;is exposed to the blowpipe so that different directions canbe given to the ball in impelling it toward the apertures.

It will be readily appreciated that in playing the game the player willscore a certain number of points if he should be successful, for examplein impelling the ball through the central aperture, whereas a greaternumber of points will be scored if the ball is passed through theapertures on either side.

With the blowpipe attachments 43 or 48, the player is at all timesoverlooking the playing surface and is able to direct the air emittedtherefrom by changing the position of the blowpipe in such a manner thatthe ball will be impelled up the surface of playing surface panel 17toward the apertures 32 or under the skill acquired at the game, forexample be able to cause the ball to spin and thereby register it withone of the openings to score. Should the ball 41 fail to register, it isreturned by gravity to the forward end and will be guided by the arms 33and 39 to the playing position at the apex 37 of the V and in positionto be played again.

Also, it is to be borne in mind that the ball 41 may be i impelledmanually or by a snap of the fingers if a player should deem itdesirable.

It will be appreciated that the preferred embodiment of the inventionhas been described and illustrated, whereas it will be within theability of those persons skilled in the art to make modifications orvariations in the structure without departing from the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Game structure open at the top to view including an inclined panel,the upper surface of which constitutes a playing surface and up which aselected ball is adapted to be impelled, target means upstanding fromand extending across the upper end of said first inclined panel, saidtarget means being adapted to pass a selected ball therepast, and aninclined ram formation including a first downwardly inclined sectionextending behind said target means and a second downwardly inclinedsection extending between the lower end of said first-mentioned sectionand the lower end of said inclined panel and merging with the lower endof said inclined panel in coplanar relationship therewith and beingarranged to deliver a selected ball passed by said target means downsaid ramp formation onto the surface of the lower end of said inclinedpanel under gravity, and a peripheral upstanding wall including end wallportions and side wall portions enclosing said inclined panel and rampformation; a generally V-shaped wall formation upstanding from saidinclined panel at the lower end thereof, said wall formation having anapex being disposed lowermost on said inclined panel, one arm of the Vextending up the inclined panel and outwardly to intersect with saidperipheral wall at one side, the other arm of the V extending up theinclined panel and outwardly over the coplanar portion of the lower endof said ramp formation and intersecting the surrounding wall formationat the other side, the arms of the V being adapted to confine and guidea selected ball to the apex of the V, said apex having an openingtherethrough which opening has an inverted V-shaped configuration,blowpipe means swivelly mounted next adjacent the apex portion of saidV-shaped wall formation, said blowpipe means having an orifice portionarranged immediately behind the opening in the apex portion of saidV-shaped wall formation, said blowpipe means having an upright portionextending above said surrounding wall formation and surmounted by amouthpiece.

2. Game structure according to claim 1 in which said swivelly mountedblowpipe means is provided with a receptacle portion extending below thejuncture of said orifice portion and said upright portion.

3. A game structure open at the top to View including an inclined panel,the upper surface of which constitutes a playing surface and up which aselected ball is adapted to be impelled, target means comprising a wallformation upstanding from and extending across the upper end of saidfirst inclined panel, said wall formation having at least one circularopening therethrough of a size and configuration to pass a selected balltherethrough, the upper surface of said inclined panel being arrangedtangentially to the lowermost edge portion of said opening, and aninclined ramp formation including a first downwardly inclined sectionextending behind said target means and a second downwardly inclinedsection extending between the lower end of said first-mentioned sectionand the lower end of said inclined panel and merging with the lower endof said inclined panel in coplanar relationship therewith and beingarranged to deliver a selected ball passed by said target means downsaid ramp formation onto the surface of the lower end of said inclinedpanel under gravity, and a peripheral upstanding wall including end wallportions and side wall portions enclosing said inclined panel and rampformation.

4. Game structure according to claim 3 wherein said first upstandingwall formation is provided with a plurality of spaced openings arrangedacross the upper end of said inclined panel.

5. In a game, a first panel inclined upwardly from the forward end tothe rearward end, the upper surface thereof constituting a playingsurface up which a selected ball is adapted to be impelled, a first wallformation upstanding from and extending across the rearward end of saidfirst inclined panel, said first wall formation having open ingstherethrough arranged in spaced relation across the upper rearward endof said first inclined panel, the openings having a size andconfiguration to pass a selected ball therethrough, a second panel atone side of said first inclined panel and inclined upwardly from theforward end to the rearward end of said first inclined panel, theforward lower end of said second panel being arranged in co-planarrelation with the forward lower end of said first inclined panel andinclined upwardly at an angle less than said first inclined panel, and athird panel extending transversely of said first inclined panel andrearwardly of said first wall formation, said third panel providingcommunication between said second inclined panel and said openings, saidthird panel having an inclination which is adapted to deliver a selectedball passed through one of said openings onto said second inclined panelto return such ball under gravity to the forward lower end of said firstinclined panel, and an upstanding peripheral wall formation surroundingsaid first, second and third inclined panels to define a receptacletherewith, the surrounding surfaces thereof confining and controllingthe direction of a selected ball.

6. Game structure open at the top to view including a playing surfacepanel inclined to the horizontal, the playing surface panel having anupper edge, lower edge and side edges, the upper surface of the bottompanel constituting the playing surface up which a selected ball isadapted to be impelled, a wall formation upstanding from said playingsurface panel and extending across and abutting the upper edge thereof,said wall formation having at least one opening therethrough of a sizeand configuration to pass a selected ball therethrough, which has beenimpelled up said playing surface and directed into said opening, and aninclined ramp formation including a first inclined section extendingbehind said upstanding wall formation and abutting same and whosesurface is located below the level of the upper edge of said inclinedplaying surface panel and a second section extending along one side edgeof said inclined playing surface panel and intersecting at the upper endwith said first section and inclined therefrom to a point ofintersection with the lower end of said inclined playing surface panel,the surface of the lower end of said second section being arranged inco-planar relation to the surface of said lower end of said inclinedplaying surface panel to deliver a selected ball passed through saidopening and down the ramp formation onto the surface of said lower endof said inclined playing surface panel under gravity, and a peripheralupstmding wall including end wall portions and side Wall portionsenclosing said inclined playing surface panel and ramp formation.

7. Game comprising in combination, a hollow celluloid ball, blowpipemeans, and game structure open at the top to view including a bottompanel inclined to the horizontal, the playing surface panel having anupper edge, lower edge and side edges, the upper surface of the playingsurface panel constituting the playing surface up which the selectedball is adapted to be impelled, a wall formation upstanding from theplaying surface panel and extending across and abutting the upper edgethereof, said wall formation having at least one opening therethrough ofa size and configuration to pass the selected ball therethrough, whichhas been impelled up said playing surface and directed into saidopening, and an inclined ramp formation including a first inclinedsection extending behind said upstanding wall formation and abuttingsame and whose surface is located below the level of the upper edge ofsaid inclined playing surface panel and a second section extending alongone side edge of said inclined playing surface panel and intersecting atthe upper end with said first section and inclined therefrom to a pointof intersection with the lower end of said inclined playing surfacepanel, the surface of the lower end of said second section beingarranged in co-planar relation to the surface of said lower end of saidplaying surface panel to deliver a selected ball passed through saidopening and down the ramp formation onto the surface of said lower endof said inclined playing surface panel under gravity, and a peripheralupstanding wall including end wall portions and side wall portionsenclosing said inclined playing surface panel along the lower edge andone side edge and enclosing the first and second sections of saidinclined ramp formation, and a V-shaped wall formation upstanding fromsaid inclined playing surface panel with the apex of the V disposedlowermost, one arm of the V extending up the inclined playing surfacepanel and outwardly to intersect with one side wall portion of theperipheral upstanding wall and the other arm extending up the inclinedplaying surface panel and outwardly over the co-planar portion of thelower end of said ramp formation and intersecting the other side wallportion of the peripheral upstanding wall, the apex portion of theV-shaped wall formation having an opening therethrough, the apex beingspaced forwardly of the lower end wall portion of the peripheral wall.

8. In a game structure open at the top to view, an inclined panel theupper surface of which constitutes a playing surface up which a selectedball is adapted to be impelled, target means upstanding from andextending across the upper end of said inclined panel, ball centeringmeans upstanding from the lower end of said inclined panel having a ballcentering aperture therethrough centrally of said inclined panel andblow pipe means swivelly mounted on said game structure on the side ofsaid ball centering means opposite to said target means, said blow pipemeans having an orifice portion immediately behind said ball centeringaperture, said blow pipe means under the application of pressure airthereto being adapted to impel a selected ball up said playing surfaceat a determined angle.

9. In a game structure open at the top to view, an inclined panel theupper surface of which constitutes a playing surface up which a selectedball is adapted to be impelled, target means upstanding from andextending across the upper end of said inclined panel, ball centeringand guiding means upstanding from the lower end of said inclined panelhaving a ball centering aperture therethrough centrally of said inclinedpanel and presenting diverging guiding surface formations extendingdiagonally upwardly of said inclined panel on opposite sides of saidball centering aperture and being adapted to direct a selected ball tosaid ball centering aperture, and blow pipe means swivelly mounted onsaid game structure on the side of said ball centering and guiding meansopposite to said target means, said blow pipe means having an orificeportion immediately behind said ball centering aperture and an uprightportion extending above said playing surface surmounted by amouth-piece, said blow pipe means being adapted under the application ofpressure air thereto to impel a selected ball up said playing surface ina determined direction.

10. Game structure open at the top to view including an inclined panel,the upper surface of which constitutes a playing surface and up which aselected ball is adapted to be impelled, target means comprising a firstwall formation upstanding from and extending across the upper end ofsaid first inclined panel, said wall formation having at least oneopening therethrough of a size and configuration to pass a selected balltherethrough; and an inclined ramp formation including a firstdownwardly inclined section extending behind said target means and asecond downwardly inclined section extend- V v V a ing between the lowerend of said first-mentioned section and the lower end of said inclinedpanel and merging with the lower end of said inclined panel in coplanarrelationship therewith and being arranged to deliver a selected ballpassed by said target means down said ramp formation onto the surface ofthe lower end of said inclined panel under gravity, a peripheralupstanding wall including end wall portions and side wall portionsenclosing said panel and ramp formation, said game structure furtherincluding a second wall formation upstanding between and separating saidinclined panel and the second section of said inclined ramp formation,and intersecting the wall upstanding across the upper end of saidinclined panel at the juncture of said first and second sections of saidramp formation, said second wall formation terminating at a point spacedfrom the lower coplanar ends of said inclined panel and ramp formationand defining an entrance from said ramp formation onto 5 the lower endof said inclined panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,292,283 Muller Aug. 4, 1942 10 2,595,649 Eistetter May 6, 1952 FOREIGNPATENTS 667,544 France Oct. 17, 1929

3. A GAME STRUCTURE OPEN AT THE TOP TO VIEW INCLUDING AN INCLINED PANEL,THE UPPER SURFACE OF WHICH CONSTITUTES A PLAYING SURFACE AND UP WHICH ASELECTED BALL IS ADAPTED TO BE IMPELLED, TARGET MEANS COMPRISING A WALLFORMATION UPSTANDING FROM AND EXTENDING ACROSS THE UPPER END OF SAIDFIRST INCLINED PANEL, SAID WALL FORMATION HAVING AT LEAST ONE CIRCULAROPENING THERETHROUGH OF A SIZE AND CONFIGURATION TO PASS A SELECTED BALLTHERETHROUGH, THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID INCLINED PANEL BEING ARRANGEDTANGENTIALLY TO THE LOWERMOST EDGE PORTION OF SAID OPENING, AND ANINCLINED RAMP FORMATION INCLUDING A FIRST DOWNWARDLY INCLINED SECTIONEXTENDING BEHIND SAID TARGET MEANS AND A SECOND DOWNWARDLY INCLINEDSECTION EXTENDING BETWEEN THE LOWER END OF SAID FIRST-MENTIONED SECTIONAND THE LOWER END OF SAID INCLINED PANEL AND MERGING WITH THE LOWER ENDOF SAID INCLINED PANEL IN COPLANAR RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH AND BEINGARRANGED TO DELIVER A SELECTED BALL PASSED BY SAID TARGET MEANS DOWNSAID RAMP FORMATION ONTO THE SURFACE OF THE LOWER END OF SAID INCLINEDPANEL UNDER GRAVITY, AND A PERIPHERAL UPSTANDING WALL INCLUDING END WALLPORTIONS AND SIDE WALL PORTIONS ENCLOSING SAID INCLINED PANEL AND RAMPFORMATION.
 8. IN A GAME STRUCTURE OPEN AT THE TOP TO VIEW, AN INCLINEDPANEL THE UPPER SURFACE OF WHICH CONSTITUTES A PLAYING SURFACE UP WHICHA SELECTED BALL IS ADAPTED TO BE IMPELLED, TARGET MEANS UPSTANDING FROMAND EXTENDING ACROSS THE UPPER END OF SAID INCLINED PANEL, BALLCENTERING MEANS UPSTANDING FROM THE LOWER END OF SAID INCLINED PANELHAVING A BALL CENTERING APERTURE THERETHROUGH CENTRALLY OF SAID INCLINEDPANEL AND BLOW PIPE MEANS SWIVELLY MOUNTED ON SAID GAME STRUCTURE ON THESIDE OF SAID BALL CENTERING MEANS OPPOSITE TO SAID TARGET MEANS, SAIDBLOW PIPE MEANS HAVING AN ORIFICE PORTION IMMEDIATELY BEHIND SAID BALLCENTERING APERTURE, SAID BLOW PIPE MEANS UNDER THE APPLICATION OFPRESSURE AIR THERETO BEING ADAPTED TO IMPEL A SELECTED BALL UP SAIDPLAYING SURFACE AT A DETERMINED ANGLE.